Corporate CFO Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance Violations

The chief financial officer of a corporation has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit campaign fraud, as well as other charges, that could bring pressure on the company’s founder, whose trial on similar charges starts on June 2.

Michael Giorgio, CFO of the SCI in Ohio, pleaded guilty on Monday to seven charges, including obstruction of justice, conspiracy to commit campaign fraud, witness tampering, and making a false statement.

In his plea deal, Giorgio accused his boss Benjamin D. Suarez of personally directing a scheme to move $100,000 to the 2012 federal re-election campaign of Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Ohio, and $100,000 to the 2012 U.S. Senate campaign of candidate Josh Mandel, R-Ohio.

The scheme involved recruiting executives and managers at the firm to write $5,000 checks in their names to campaigns, and then SCI would reimburse them with company checks disguised as profit-sharing compensation.

As many have noted, “we tend to stumble upon establishments which are the result of human action but are not the result of human design”.

YONATAN C

THE REPUBLICANS HAVE DECLARED WAR ON THE POOR AND THE UNEMPLOYED IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO PASS THE UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION BILL THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED THE 2.6 MILLION FAMILIES IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP. THE REPUBLICANS HAVE USED THE EXTENSION BILL AS HOSTAGE IN THE SENATE FOR POLITICAL LEVERAGE TO FURTHER THEIR PARTY’S POLITICAL AGENDA. THEY HAVE SHOWN A TOTAL LACK OF HUMAN COMPASSION, AND OF COMMON DECENCY. THEY HAVE DELIBERATELY STALLED AND DELAYED THE VOTE SO THAT THE BILL WOULD BECOME TOO LATE TO PASS IN THE SENATE. THIS WAS A CALCULATED MOVE ON SENATOR JOHN BOEHNER’S PART, TO DERAIL THE VOTING PROCESS. THE REPUBLICANS HAVE DEMONSTRATED A TOTAL “DISCONNECT” FROM THE AVERAGE AMERICAN, AND HAVE SHOWN THE WORLD JUST FOR WHOM THEY TRULY WORK FOR, AND IT’S NOT YOU OR I. THEY WORK FOR BIG BUSINESS AND MEN LIKE THE KOCH BROTHERS. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY’S TRUE FACE, AND IT’S NOT PRETTY. THEY NEED TO ALL BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE IN THE COMING ELECTIONS. THEY HAVE FAILED THEIR DUTY AS THE PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVE

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Political MoneyLine is about following money in politics. It's a cash register for givers, receivers and those who want to watch the flow.

Kent Cooper has been uncovering and counting political money since 1972, when new disclosure laws took effect. He was assistant staff director for the Federal Election Commission's disclosure office for 22 years.

Tony Raymond was at the FEC for more than 20 years, analyzing reports and serving as the FEC's first webmaster.

They currently produce the Political MoneyLine website on CQ.com and developed its earlier versions: FECInfo, Public Disclosure Inc., and Tray.com.